2022 BMW 3 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2022 BMW 3 Series passed 89.1% of its 15,837 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.0 percentage points worse than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 9.8%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 8.3% of all tests — 6.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and ball joint — tread depth alone was recorded 285 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2022 3 Series fails 8.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.1% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.5 points.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 4.9pp more often than petrol ones (12.4% vs 7.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.3% of tests failed in 2023 against 11.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 8.3% | 1,311 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 267 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.2% | 188 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.8% | 132 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 67 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.4% | 63 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 285 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 274 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 131 |
| 4 | Washers | 103 |
| 5 | Wipers | 101 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 66 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 19.0% | 3,002 |
| 2 | Other defects | 5.2% | 828 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.5% | 550 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.3% | 359 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 228 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 131 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 6,507 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 7,020 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,891 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 378 | 14.8% |
| 120-150k | 33 | 9.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 9,323 | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 4,165 | 7.5% |
| Diesel | 2,348 | 10.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 57 | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 912 | 7.3% |
| 2025 | 14,844 | 11.1% |
What to check before buying a 2022 3 Series
On a 2022 3 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (8.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (1.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2022 BMW 3 Seriess pass their MOT?
89.1% of the 15,837 2022 BMW 3 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 BMW 3 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.7%).
Does the 2022 3 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.6% in the 0-30k band to 9.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,837 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.